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Homemade pizza dough is way easier than you think. Combine the flour with dry yeast and olive oil and see the dough rise! Any night can be pizza night!

Pizza dough on a floured surface with toppings

Having a batch of homemade pizza dough on hand is one of my superpowers as a mom. My sons love making their own customized pizza and I love skipping any arguments we might have over what to have for dinner and toppings!

all the ingredients for the pizza dough

How To Make Pizza Dough

First, pre-measure and prep your ingredients for easy access. Use a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment to make the dough — this makes life so much easier! Then, use the dough right away or store it for future use.

Make the Dough

This quick pizza dough recipe only takes a couple of hours to rise. Plus, there is enough dough to make four pizzas — perfect for a pizza-making party!

  • Combine the ingredients: In a large bowl or stand up mixer, mix the yeast, salt, sugar, extra virgin olive oil, and warm water.
  • Add in the flour: Add the flour to the yeast mixture. There’s no need to knead the dough — simply mix all the flour in.
  • Cover the bowl: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature for about two hours.
liquid with oil and liquid in a mixing bowl
yeast with liquid in a bowl with yeast
Dough in a mixing bowl
pizza dough in a mixing bowl

Store the Dough

Once the dough has risen, cut it into four pieces. Use as much dough as needed now, and freeze the rest. Wrap each extra piece tightly in plastic. Place the dough inside a ziploc bag, remove as much air as possible, seal the bag, then freeze.

Pizza Flavor Options

Once the dough has risen, remove it from the bowl, place it on a lightly floured surface, and roll it out to your desired thickness. Add toppings to make your favorite pizza and bake in the oven at 450°F for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. We love marinara or alfredo sauce as the pizza sauce base. Bonus: Both of these sauces only take five minutes to make!

  • Chicken-alfredo: Whip up a pizza with chicken, alfredo pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and bacon bits.
  • Classic pepperoni: We love a classic pepperoni pizza with red marinara sauce and mushrooms.
  • Breakfast pizza: Use breakfast sausage pieces and crack an egg on top for a breakfast style pizza (YUM!).
  • Cheese-stuffed: For an even tastier pizza crust, stuff the outer rim of the dough with mozzarella cheese. Add a sprinkle of garlic powder on top for a hint of savory garlic flavor.
  • Meaty: Make a “meat-lovers” pizza with all your favorite protein options like chicken, bacon, pepperoni, ham, Italian sausage, and/or ground beef.
  • BBQ Hawaiian: Top the pizza crust with BBQ sauce, canadian bacon, and pineapple chunks for a unique Hawaiian taste!

Hot tip: If you don’t have a pizza stone or special pizza pan, don’t fret! Bake the pizza on a baking sheet pan lined with parchment paper instead.

More Ways To Use/Serve Pizza Dough

Pizza dough is great to use in so many different ways! Don’t limit yourself to only pizzas — use it these ways, too!

  • Costco Chicken Bake: If you’ve had the Costco chicken bake, you know how delicious it is. This version of the Costco bake is packed with mozzarella, ranch dressing, bacon bits and chicken — YUM!
  • Easy Garlic Knots: These garlicky bread twists are the perfect companion to a caesar salad or a big bowl of Russian borscht!
  • Pizza Rolls: Kids love frozen Totino’s Pizza Rolls — and they are delicious. But, homemade are even better!
  • Flatbread Pizza: These individual pizzas are perfect to satisfy everyone’s pizza preference!
Pizza dough before baking with toppings.

Tips From The Kitchen

On our mission to make the best pizza dough recipe, we came up with a few tips that consistently ensure the tastiest and best-textured dough. With these tricks, we’re confident this is the best homemade pizza dough you’ll ever make!

  • Use bread flour: Most pizza chefs tend to use bread flour for pizzas. Why? Bread flour has a higher gluten content, meaning it is more springy and easier to work with. It also gives the pizza a nice, crispy crust. If you’re out of bread flour, all purpose flour will also work well! Or, mix the two types together!
  • Adjust the rising time: Heat and humidity really affect the rising of the dough! If it’s a hot and humid environment, the dough rises faster. For a slower rise, refrigerate the dough.
  • Use active dry yeast: For a great rise, we’ve had the best success with active dry yeast. In a pinch, rapid rise yeast is suitable, though it will change the rise time.
  • Ensure water is lukewarm: Make sure the water is lukewarm when mixing it with the yeast. Very warm/hot water kills the yeast, which affects the rising of the dough. Lukewarm temperatures is at about 105°F-115°F. If you were to run the water on the inner part of the wrist, it should be comfortable.
  • Allow the dough return to room temperature: If the dough has been in the fridge or freezer, let it warm to room temperature before rolling out and baking. This results in a lighter and tastier crust.

Storing the Pizza Dough

This easy pizza dough recipe is an amazing alternative to frozen and packaged pizza. It’s healthier and you’ll know each ingredient in the dough. Depending on your meal prepping plans, refrigerate the raw dough or freeze it for later use. When ready to use the dough, let it come to room temperature for about an hour before baking.

  • Refrigerate: To store for up to a week, wrap your dough tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge.
  • Freeze: To store for up to two months, allow the dough to rise completely, then wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze. When ready to use, let it completely thaw in the fridge. Cook as directed.

FAQ

Can pizza dough be used right from the fridge? 

Instead of using pizza dough straight from the fridge, it is best to allow it to come to room temperature before rolling out and baking it. This will help it roll out easier without breaking, and results in a lighter and tastier crust. 

What’s the difference between pizza flour and regular flour?

Pizza flour is a type of flour made from durum wheat used in many speciality pizza restaurants, whereas regular flour is most often made from hard spring wheat. The two flours make a difference in the taste and texture of the pizza dough. 

Can different types of flours be mixed to make pizza dough?

Yes, it is okay to mix different types of flours (bread flour, all purpose flour, etc.) to make pizza dough. Each dough creates a slightly different texture, so a mixture of different types of dough will also yield variable dough textures. 

More Dough-y Recipes

Recipe

Pizza dough with red sauce and tomatoes

Pizza Dough Recipe

Print Pin
Servings
4 pieces
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Homemade pizza dough is way easier than you think. Combine the flour with dry yeast and olive oil and see the dough rise! Any night can be pizza night! 

Ingredients

US Units – Metric

Instructions

Dough

  • Combine yeast, salt, sugar, olive oil and water in a large 6 quart bowl, you can use a wooden spoon or stand mixer.
    yeast with liquid in a bowl with yeast
  • Add the flour. There is no need to knead the dough, just be sure that all the flour is mixed in well.
    pizza dough in a mixing bowl
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about two hours.
    Pizza dough in a mixing bowl

Freezing Pizza Dough

  • Because this recipe makes four pizzas, I prefer to freeze part of the dough for later.
    Pizza Dough rolled in placed wrap and being placed into a ziploc bag
  • After the dough rises, cut it into four pieces and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped dough inside a ziploc bag; remove air out the the bag, seal and freeze.
    Pizza Dough wrapped in plastic wrap and placed into ziploc bags
Nutrition Facts
Pizza Dough Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 875 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 10g
Sodium 1757mg73%
Potassium 232mg7%
Carbohydrates 159g53%
Fiber 6g24%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 22g44%
Vitamin C 0.01mg0%
Calcium 37mg4%
Iron 10mg56%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Posted September 21, 2023

About Author

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Natalya Drozhzhin

Natalya founded Momsdish to demonstrate that placing a homemade meal on the table is not hard at all. Natalya makes cooking easier and approachable, by simplifying the ingredients, while still producing the same great taste.